A Classic Seeburg Jukebox Adds Nostalgia To Rec Rooms
Not long ago I posted an article about my Uncle Bob's neon-lit glass block wall in his 50s-60s era retro room.
That was only the beginning of all of the cool retro toys he and his wife have in this time machine of theirs. Probably the most impressive item (to me) that they've got in this room is the 1955 Seeburg Model 100 J jukebox that they've painstakingly, although lovingly, restored back to its' original glorious condition.
Seeburg's have been a big part of pop culture by fostering musical interests of millions of fans the world over.
Yes...it plays! And quite nicely I might add. It operates as smooth as silk. You don't seriously think that my Uncle Bob would have a broken classic jukebox sitting in his house taking up valuable floor space do you??!!! Heck no! This 50-plus year old jukebox has been restored back to top notch condition.
Once again, I'm proud to introduce my Uncle Bob to you and I'm gonna let him tell you a little about this beautiful machine.
The unit is an original "Seeburg 100 J" manufactured in 1955 that we purchased in 1988 from a friend that found two juke boxes in a warehouse in Newark. He did not want to restore both of them so we bought this one for $750. When we purchased it, it had been stored for over thirty years and had mice nests etc. inside. We dismantled the unit and restored the finishes and veneers ourselves. The chrome parts were rechromed in California and the record changer and original tube amplifier were restored by a juke box restorer in Lancaster, Ohio. The total restoration took about 9 months to complete. Since restoration, the unit has played perfectly. 45 rpm records are available from several sources but we like a little record shop in Kent,Ohio called "Spin More Records". The title strips are made on our computer with software that also allows you to keep a database of your collection.We probably have about 200 records that we rotate through the juke box that holds 50 record(100 songs) Soon we will be placing the "Christmas collection" in the box to enjoy. We do really enjoy the juke box and the sound two 12" and one 8" speaker can deliver. On a wall near the "garden area" of the lower level we have a restored Seeburg "teardrop" speaker that works off the Juke box also.
It's a sweet piece of nostalgia, folks! If you're thinking of putting together a retro-type room in your house, a jukebox is a real conversation piece. Who doesn't like music??
Photos of the 1955 Seeburg Model 100 J Jukebox
Related
See more of Uncle Bob's toys. Go to the bottom of the article for the links.
Spin More Records in Kent, Ohio: 330-678-3495
Fun Facts related to Seeburg jukeboxes
All encompassing Seeburg website that you won't want to miss.
Books about Seeburg jukeboxes including how they work and service information. This is not a paid ad but if you are in need of a how-to book on Seeburg's, they've got 'em.
je ne voie plus mes selection sur mon juke ( L.S.2.GEM160S) en haut a gauche depuie que jai passe un coup de conpresseur merci pour tous rensiegnement
gotcha,
I have a better solution for your next machine I'd like to share, go here for some killer ideas..http://www.precisiondrum.com/html/wrap.html I have shared this knowledge with more than a few jukebox guys and they all love it! i am in no way connected to this site but am a drummer and sometimes this material just can't be beat for show stopping effects it comes in flat sheets perfect for anything where a bend isn't required
as I said I have the same machine [seeburg 100j] and plan on using this stuff in the exact place where an applique [or really shelf paper] is supposed to be
Kenny
Ken...
I wrote my uncle (the owner of the jukebox) to ask him your question(s) and the following is his response:
"Actually we did take some liberties with some of the finishes, including the side panels he noticed and the rear panels which are painted teal (not blue). We also changed the side panels by veneering and upholstering the upper parts next to the glass. It was a look we designed to suit our tastes."
Ken...if you look at the rest of the photos in the series of posts on his retro room, you'll see that they did, indeed, incorporate the same colors for an overall design plan.
love the story and the jukebox but what is all of that blue junk on side of the box? i have the exact same machine and it's supposed to be an applique and the inside where you have it painted blue [right behind the side glass] is supposed to be wood colored not blue!
otherwise I love it